


Rudimentary

by PhantomWriter



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, BAMF Klaus Hargreeves, Cop Diego, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-12-25 20:35:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18268904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PhantomWriter/pseuds/PhantomWriter
Summary: When Diego was tasked to enlist the help of a police consultant, he wasn't expecting it to actually mean 'asking the help of a medium'.Not to be judgmental, but Diego was pretty sure he brought in Klaus for possession before.





	Rudimentary

**Author's Note:**

> Guys, we need more fics under the BAMF Klaus Hargreeves tag.
> 
> This is a complete AU where Reginald never adopted the seven. Unbeta-ed. Enjoy!

It was like there were more lines on Dora's forehead than when Diego last saw her and that was a few hours ago.

"Hey," Diego said as way of greeting. "Got your text and came as soon as I could."

"Sorry. I texted because I wasn't sure if you're awake." Eudora sighed, dropping on the desk what she was reading when Diego came in. "Sit down, and close the door behind you."

"It's nothing," said Diego as he sat down heavily. "Can't sleep myself."

Nobody would if they were in his position that if not chasing leads for almost the whole day, going through the gruesome photographs of the female corpse and the crime scene that Diego had been personally. He didn't really want to see again what he witnessed the morning before, but was there any other choice? No prints for ID, meticulously 'clean' bodies that were intact of their possession—except for the previous victim that was missing her wedding ring—and basically nothing, not even a hair for DNA.

Eudora pulled out a drawer to get an envelope of sort, scented and pink, and pushed it towards him across the table. Diego warily eyed it, not touching. "What's this?"

"It was sent to my home address. I think it's from the killer."

The envelope contained several pictures: Eudora entering her house; Eudora leaving for work; Eudora at the porch and speaking to someone on the phone; Eudora getting the mail; Eudora greeting the milkman; and there were pictures as well of her home indoors, fortunately empty of her.

"Jesus fucking Christ," Diego muttered, growing angrier by the turn of each photo.

"Indeed." Diego didn't know why she was so painfully casual about this. "You know, by the pictures alone, I thought it was a regular stalker. Then the typewritten note fell off and you can tell that our guy is not really being subtle."

_I would have thought that I'll only garner bad karma since I started my recreation, but it seems that my luck is yet to run out._

_To be at the attention of such a woman like you, 'tis a dream come true._

_I'm curious of what you think of me. I do not mind hearing your opinion in public, and I might send a love letter back in return. How about with the ring of the previous lovely lady? I have it for safekeeping, therefore I apologize if you didn't find it in her person. Women of her caliber don't deserve to wear a pretty gold band._

_But you, Detective Patch—Eudora, can I call you that? You're something else magnificent. You captivate me._

— _With love, your admirer_

Diego felt sick. Eudora was right. This wasn't from some regular joe with a penchant for stalking. This was their man. And he could enter Eudora's home with ease and take stolen shots of her. Christ.

"How long have you got this?"

"I've been home an hour ago and found it. I packed immediately and returned here. If he's following me, then I'd rather not lead him to my parents' house where I'll be staying for a while," she said.

"Good," Diego said in relief. He always admired her rationality. "Do you want me to escort you?"

Eudora shook her head. "Actually, that's not why I asked you over." She considered for a second, hesitant. "I need you to get someone, but you have to be very discreet."

"Who? A suspect?" If it was, though, he wondered why there was the need for discretion.

She almost smiled. "No. He's not even related with the case. He's a… consultant, or something."

Diego raised an eyebrow. " _Or something?_  I think I need more than that."

"You probably don't know the story," she began, her voice dropping in volume. "But some senior officers who got their tongue loose after a few shots said that there was this guy they enlisted the help of, two or three times. I didn't believe it at first, but on my first year, there was a cold case that left us baffled. Their last resort was calling this guy in. I don't think he did a recorded statement, but they kept him in a room with all the evidence with him. The thing was, nobody questioned it, but there I was, waiting dumbly for him to emerge. It was really weird, I tell you, but the next day, they hauled a guy in cuffs. Guy broke under the pressure and confessed."

"And the guy who helped with the case?"

"Never saw him again. But then again we never had a case like that in the past five years. Until now, that is."

"So, what, this dude is some kind of Sherlock Holmes?" Diego had seen it on TV, by the way, and he wished the fictional crime-solving was just as exciting in real life. It wasn't.

Eudora shrugged. "Maybe."

"Yeah, no offense, but I don't buy this bullshit," Diego said. Her expression said that she wasn't expecting him to. "For all we know this guy was the mastermind since he knew a lot about that case."

"Did I mention that it was a fifteen-year-old cold case, and the guy was twenty-five? He had to start at ten. Pretty early for the killing career."

And offenders were getting younger and younger by the year so it wasn't impossible for a boy of ten to commit murder. Diego was more high-strung to even bother arguing with her. If Eudora wanted to believe that the guy was some genius, fine. There was a more pressing matter at hand. "Unless you want to recruit him as your bodyguard, I don't see the point of calling him in."

She rolled her eyes. "I can take care of myself, thank you very much."

"Look, I don't doubt that. But this stalker of yours—we don't know shit about him, and he's threatening you like this."

"Exactly, Diego. Pained as I am to admit, our perpetrator makes us look like incompetent idiots. It's also a blow in my pride that we're resorting to asking an outsider's help." Eudora's shoulders drooped. "I think I get it now why the senior officers kept the story hush-hush." She slid him a paper with a listed address that seemed to trigger a distant familiarity in Diego. "I suggest going there at this hour. They say he's nocturnal, unreachable during the day."

"Like a vampire?" He would have laughed if not for the gravity of the situation.

"Vampire Sherlock Holmes or whatever. Can't afford to be picky."

Diego couldn't change her mind on this, could he? "Are you sure you'll be fine on your own?" he tried again with a sigh.

"Of course,  _junior_." Eudora snorted, though her eyes softened, touch at his concern. "Now scram."

* * *

Diego realized why the address was somewhat familiar.

It was that certain house a few blocks from where he lived as a kid. They dubbed it as a haunted house, and from the outside, believer of the supernatural or not, it  _did_ look haunted. House was a modest term to use—it was a fucking mansion, with grimy, vandalized walls, untrimmed hedges, and rotten wood. Nobody lived there for as long as Diego remembered, even when he left the neighborhood to enter the police academy. Vaguely, he recalled the neighbors talking about lost papers and land titles that nobody bothered to find.

Presently, though, there was a dim light coming from the last window to the right of the second floor. There was a metal gate that Diego didn't remember seeing before, rusty but fairly new, considering. He wondered if he should bother with the doorbell.

Diego did punch the doorbell a couple of times until he decided that it was already too old to function. There was a door knocker that he used instead once he crossed the front yard, and it took several knocks for somebody to answer.

It was a man that Diego estimated to be around his own age, his features Asian and with a dark hood covering his head. This must be the guy, though Diego wasn't completely sure with the door only ajar.

"Uh, hey. I know this is late," Diego said, and now that he thought about it, he didn't know how to broach the subject. He wasn't even given a name. "But you're the police consultant, right? Well, they need you down at the station," he said, direct and concise.

"Oh, you're an officer. Wait a sec." The Asian man's brows rose before opening the door fully and allowed Diego in. "Sorry, but it's not me that you should be talking to. It's Klaus you're looking for, and he's in the bath."

"Right," Diego muttered. The lights inside were from candles that lined the walls. It was cleaner indoors, though the peeling wallpapers that showed the yellowing plasters underneath were hard to disregard despite the low lighting. He wasn't a clean freak, but if there were two people living here, they could have at least swept the floor.

The Asian man noticed him barely hiding a grimace. "We don't often have guests, but I did tell Klaus to put an effort in housekeeping. Points for trying, I guess." He chuckled at the apologetic look Diego shot him. "It's fine. Not your fault if the owner is not being responsible. I'm Ben, by the way."

"Diego." He shook the hand. It was cold to the touch.

"Can I get you something, officer? Coffee? Soda? Beer?"

Diego waved a hand dismissively. "It's fine. Thanks." Ben led him to the receiving room that was well-kept and more lit compared to the other parts of the house he had seen so far.

"You guys have a job for Klaus?" Ben thankfully said first as he sat across Diego; he wasn't sure how to begin a conversation outside work. "Or you're here to arrest him?"

Diego paused. "What? Why would I do that?"

"He's not exactly the upstanding model citizen," Ben shared.

"Is that something I should be worried about?" Diego frowned.

"Nothing too bad, but he had his fair share of minor offenses in the past."

The cop in him was somewhat disturbed at Ben's casualty. Was an officer knocking on their door to pick Klaus up for other reasons a common occurrence? And the police aligned themselves to people like him? What the hell.

"So job it is," Ben concluded. "Is the case that bad?" he inquired worriedly.

Ben seemed privy to what Klaus was doing so Diego gave him an outline of what he could tell without revealing too much. "My partner is putting a lot of faith in him to help us." He knew Eudora wouldn't just trust some random guy she saw once, and he knew the skeptic that she was, just like him. Klaus must be a special case.

"If he's in the mood then it's highly likely."

Mood? What mood? This Klaus was entitled to have a fucking mood when there were bodies in the morgue and no one to answer to justice for those? When there were families pleading to know who did it? "I'm sorry, but can he not just do it?" Diego gritted, temper flaring. "Like what he'll just do is literally waltz in the station, have privacy in a room with the minimal evidence we have and then he does his thing. What's so hard with that?"

Ben blinked several times before looking thoughtful. He wasn't even surprised at Diego's outburst. "I apologize for this question, but what exactly do you think Klaus do, officer?"

"Hell if I know," Diego growled. He was being unfair to Ben, he knew. The man was nothing but polite to him. "Like the bullshit Sherlock Holmes and other fictional detectives do, probably."

Ben looked at him pityingly the moment Diego basically told him he was clueless. "They didn't tell you, did they?" He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Hmm, how should I put this… Klaus isn't that kind of police consultant, officer."

"The fuck is he then?"

"He's a medium."

"A what?" He must have heard it wrong, because he thought Ben said that Klaus was like one of those frauds who communicated with the dead.

"Klaus can communicate with the dead," Ben elaborated.

Diego digested that statement first, raising up his palms in surrender and stood, marching towards the door. He could afford to be rude to somebody who was pulling at his leg and apparently didn't really know how serious the situation was. Eudora was being stalked by the very same person that they couldn't get a hand on, and while he was far from underestimating Eudora's competence, Diego couldn't help but be worried when he wasn't with her at this very moment.

"You're seriously leaving without even meeting the person you're looking for?" came an amused voice up the foyer. Diego had to squint his eyes to see who it was—when did Ben blew almost half the candles? "That's another level of impatience. In my experience, only rookies tend to have that attitude." Diego could practically hear the smirk in the tone.

He was yet to meet Klaus, and he disliked him already.

A shuffling of feet and there were footsteps coming down the stairs. Diego allowed himself a bit of patience to see this big deal of a man for himself, if he truly lived to the standard of Eudora's expectations.

What Diego wasn't anticipating, however, was to be met by a man wearing only a towel around his torso, another one wrapped around his head, and a Walkman hooked on his ears, the faint tune of ABBA's  _Gimme Gimme Gimme_ playing from the headphones.

Klaus looked down at himself when Diego stared at him. "Well?"

It was too late of a night to deal with this shit.

* * *

Eudora appeared safe and sound when she showed for work the following morning.

And very disappointed when Diego told her what happened.

"Wow, that's really rude of you," she chastised, arms crossed over her chest.

"Why are you reprimanding me? I just told you that Klaus is a 'medium'." Diego mockingly made a quote unquote gesture with his fingers. "I saved you the trouble of finding out that the guy is a fraud."

"What if he isn't?"

Diego scoffed. "Oh, c'mon. A medium, really? He can talk to the dead victims, is that it? If he could, then every crime that goes here in the station should be solved perfectly with a hundred percent trial success. Why would the senior officers even keep it to themselves when they asked the help of this guy?"

"I don't know, Diego, maybe because they knew that the public will react exactly the same way that you do."

They would be right to question the legitimacy of the arrests made with Klaus's aid, but the downside was that the people would surely lose their trust in the police.

"I would have done it, but you know that there's a high possibility that someone's tailing me. I don't want this stalker to know his address. Give Klaus the benefit of the doubt," Eudora said when Diego went silent. "Maybe there really is something special in him."

"Please. We're not that desperate." When she looked away, Diego asked again. "Are we?"

Eudora seemed defeated when she said, "Honestly, I don't know. If this is already rock bottom for us, then I'd hate to see how it could get even worse in the next few days."

* * *

Diego found himself knocking with the same door knocker a few hours later, and that alone was a definition of rock bottom for him.

He wasn't up to giving Klaus the luxury of a night visit, though, therefore Diego decided to drive up at the house with a several hours of daylight on his back, a little past noon.

Diego was practicing an apology for his behavior to Ben when the door opened. There was no Ben, much to his regret; there was nobody to invite him in, in fact, therefore Diego murmured an excuse for the intrusion and invited himself in.

Sunlight came through the tall, broken windows unfiltered, illuminating the whole place, though in the process making the house appear emptier during the day. When Diego arrived to the receiving room, he was surprised to find Klaus there in a black skirt, sitting asleep on a threadbare couch. Now that Diego could see him clearly in daylight, he was pretty sure that he encountered Klaus at some point in his life, probably one of those junkies he brought in.

Could he be?

When Klaus's chin hit his bare chest as his head lolled downwards, Diego cleared his throat.

Klaus might not have heard Diego enter, but he wasn't that a light sleeper. He snapped awake, blinking blearily at Diego. "Mhm?"

"It's me."

"Ben?" Klaus asked groggily, eyes drooping shut again. "Fuck you. I said I'll be hungover."

Diego snapped his fingers in annoyance to keep Klaus at focus. "It's me. The officer last night."

When Klaus pried his eyes open and looked at Diego, he groaned. "Right. You. Ben couldn't have rocked a police outfit."

The hell did that even mean? Diego shook his head. A few minutes and he was already distracted. "I'm here again to talk."

Klaus ran a hand through his hair and rubbed his eyes. "Ah, that," he said after a while. "Well, sit down and shoot."

"I'll stand if you don't mind."

"Suit yourself, officer."

Diego stood straighter, squaring his shoulders in a stance he was using when dealing with suspects. Klaus's lips quirked a little when he took notice. "I was sent by my partner to enlist your help in an ongoing investigation."

Klaus lighted a thin, long pipe, blowing smoke rings as Diego gave him a rundown of the current unsolved serial killing. "And not even a decisive evidence, huh?" he said, more to himself than Diego once the latter was finished. "Cautious, then, too cautious."

"We got that, thanks," Diego said in irritation. He didn't come here for Klaus to state the obvious.

Klaus huffed out a more elaborate shape out of smoke. "What do you want me to do?"

"Whatever it is that you do."

"Communicate with a ghost?" he said, grinning around his pipe.

"That's what mediums do, right?"

"A regular one, yes, but I happen to be capable of more than that, see. For example," Klaus gave Diego a glance over that was hardly subtle at all, "I can take off a uniform within fifteen seconds without the buttons flying."

How was that connec—what the fuck.

"Except cop uniforms," Klaus added immediately, winking at Diego's utter confusion.

He wasn't that type of person, but Diego felt his cheeks warming in embarrassment. "B-Be s-serious." That stutter was uncalled for, goddammit!

"Aren't you adorable, officer?" Klaus—the nerve—cooed. Any nonsense from him and Diego would bolt again, never to return no matter how Eudora plead. Klaus seemed to sense his vexation. "Okay, relax, man. I'm just joking."

"Well, I'm not. The longer that murderer is away from bars, the more risk he is to anyone else. Did you forget about the part I told you that he doesn't discriminate? And of course you don't give a shit because it's not you being stalked by the very same person!"

That seemed to pique Klaus's interest. "You're being stalked?"

"Not me," Diego growled. "My partner who sent me here. She would have done this herself if she wasn't worried that stopping by here will lead her stalker to you. So, yeah, she's protecting someone she doesn't even know personally, someone who treats this like it's all a joke."

"That's nice of her," Klaus said after a lengthy silence where he let Diego's anger simmer down. "What's her name?"

"Detective Eudora Patch," Diego grumbled, the fight leaving him. "What, next thing you're gonna tell me you can put protection on her?"

"Neat if I can do that as well." Klaus shrugged. "Not that she needs that. I'm sure she's a formidable woman. Tell Eudora I said thanks."

"It's Detective Patch to you," Diego corrected. "You can tell her in person if you come with me."

"What for?"

Christ. Speaking to Klaus alone was exhausting. "For your medium shit. She said that last time you've been there you used a room and locked yourself in with all the evidence from the case."

"That was before." Klaus cocked his head to one side. "I don't need to do that anymore. Tell me a name. It'll be enough."

He wasn't just tiring; he wasn't assuring Diego that he wasn't a conman either.

"Name?" Klaus asked again, resting his head lazily on his arm. "Past victim, preferably. Just one."

Klaus wasn't about to drop it soon, apparently. Diego racked up his mind. There were five names engraved in Diego's mind, though there was a particular one that stood out. "Janice King."

Klaus tested the name on his lips, taking another drag from his pipe before rearranging himself, cross-legged and eyes closed. Diego sat on a nearby chair, not knowing what to do as he watched Klaus trying to meditate—if that could be called meditation with how restless he appeared, occasionally swatting away nonexistent flies.

It was quiet, and some part of Diego expected to hear a weird non-English chant from Klaus. There wasn't any, and Diego would sometimes squint his eyes on Klaus to check whether he fell asleep midway. It was a dull process, just watching and humoring this guy of his antics.

Diego was startled when Klaus opened a single eye that darted to the entrance of the room. "Hello, Ben."

Ben quirked an eye at Klaus, and at Diego he nodded. "Officer."

Since when was Ben standing there? Diego didn't even hear him enter. "Hey."

"Please stay with the good officer here, Ben," Klaus said, closed eyes once more. "There's some angry ones that could come along."

And these angry ones were angry ghosts, huh? Diego wanted to laugh at the sheer absurdity, though he didn't say a word when Ben grimly came close to his side.

Suddenly, it was as if heavy, dark drapes appeared and covered every windows, not letting any sun seep in. It was darker than last night Diego had been here. There was a momentary blindness before little firelights glowed at the end of the candles scattered inside the room. The natural temperature earlier dropped dramatically, getting colder and colder that it pricked on Diego's uncovered skin.

There was a loud bang from the doors upstairs and several crashing sounds as if objects fell all at once. A pitter-patter could be heard coming down the stairs and towards the room, and for a second Diego thought he saw a blur passing in front of him. He couldn't be completely sure under the feeble light, but it must be a child judging by the light steps and a faint giggling that went louder the more Diego focused on it.

A thunderous slam echoed within the house and the other noises abruptly stopped.

Klaus exhaled and opened both his eyes. There was no trace of humor from a while ago when he glanced at Diego, and more solemn was his expression when his gaze landed on Diego's right. "Hello, darling. Are you Janice?"

Diego jumped from his seat when he noticed the little girl there. She was wearing her red polka dot dress and a red bow on her golden curls to match her attire. She looked painfully the same way Diego remembered her weeks ago, when she was found with ligature marks, stuffed inside a gunny sack, and dumped like garbage on the side of the road. She was so young and innocent to be dead, to be killed by some pathetic excuse of a man.

"This isn't real," he gasped as emotion welled up in him, stress and the sleepless nights spent on poring over case files and grotesque images of the corpses that yielded no useful results. "What t-trick is t-this? T-This isn't… It's n-not…"

Diego wanted to vomit, though in the end what escaped him was a dry, half-choked sob. Ben was beside him, carefully assisting him back on the chair and handing him a glass of water.

"Why is mister crying?" Janice asked Klaus, instinctively approaching his side. "Did I make him sad?"

"It's not your fault, sweetie," Klaus told her, reaching for her small arms and squeezed them in reassurance. "Mister is just surprised. I think this is his first time to see someone like you."

"Then I made him sad," Janice said glumly. "I didn't mean to."

"A pretty little girl like you can't possibly make anyone sad." Klaus pushed a strand of her hair behind an ear. "Me and the mister just want to ask you questions that only you can answer. Can you help us?"

"Will it stop mister from being sad?" Klaus nodded at her. "Then I'll help!" she said eagerly. Janice stared up at Klaus and the couch curiously, shyly asking, "Um, can you lift me, sir? I want to sit beside you."

Klaus lifted her off her feet and deposited her on his lap instead. "Is this good?"

"Better!" Janice giggled. "What do you want to ask me, sir?"

"Call me Klaus. I'm too young to be called 'sir'," he said with a smile. "Janice, what is the last thing you remember before I called you?"

She frowned thoughtfully. "I was playing with my ball."

"Where, sweetie?"

"At the back. Mum said I shouldn't play across the street without her."

"But you did?" Klaus asked gently.

Janice nodded weakly. "I know I shouldn't, but there's someone selling candies and I went to see. He gave me one for free. He's nice."

"The candy vendor? What does he look like?"

"I… don't know," Janice said confusedly. "I think he's old, though. He's coughing behind his mask. He's sick and…" she trailed off, hesitating.

"And?"

"I don't want to say. I think it's embarrassing."

"You can whisper it to me," Klaus insisted, leaning down to her.

"I don't think he takes a bath. He smells like fish, but a really bad fish," she whispered, giggling. "Sorry."

"Nothing bad with telling the truth, honey." He winked at her. "Is that all?"

"That's all I can remember," she said, pouting. "Is it alright, Klaus?"

"It's already enough. You did a good job, Janice." Klaus glanced at Diego who seemed to have calmed down. And though he still seemed unable to believe what he was seeing, he was listening to them intently.

Janice climbed down from Klaus, running towards Diego instead. She peered up at him unsurely. "Are you okay now, mister?"

"Yeah," Diego managed to say shakily. Was he dreaming this? If he was, then this was a vivid one where he could seemingly touch the dead. "Sorry if I made you worry. You did good, Janice." Tentatively, Diego laid a palm on her head and gingerly gave her a pat. She wasn't warm.

She beamed with her missing front teeth. "Thank you, sir."

"I'm Diego," he said. "This person next to me is Ben."

Ben sent her a friendly wave. "Hi, Janice."

"You now know who these nice men are, Janice. Come, it's getting late. Let me bring you home," Klaus said, offering a hand.

"Okay!" Janice grasped Klaus's larger palm with both her hands.

There was a glow of bluish light that came from Klaus's hand, extending to the girl's whole form until she was bathed in the same light.

"Janice," Diego called when a part of her feet began to fade to translucence. "I—I promise y-you, I'll catch w-who did t-this. I won't l-let them go u-unpunished. I w-won't let your death g-go—"

"Officer, stop," Klaus warned.

"I'll put them b-behind bars, so your m-mom won't be sad a-anymore."

"Diego, please listen to Klaus," Ben added, gently but just as insistent.

Janice looked so confused. "Why would Mum be sad?" She worriedly turned to Klaus with—if it was even possible—panic draining her of color. "I don't understand. Can we see her, Klaus? Can I see Mum? Please!"

"I'm sorry, darling, we can't," Klaus said.

"But I want to!" Only the top half of Janice was visible when she began thrashing against Klaus's hold. Klaus refused to let her go, reigning her firmly.

"I'm sorry." Klaus voice was lost amidst Janice's scream that pierced the silence and brought back the banging and crashing noises from earlier. "You're dead, Janice, and the dead can't be with the living," he yelled, tightening his hold on the girl.

"I hate you!" Janice seethed, and her face was no longer the little girl they called. "You fool," she snarled at Klaus in a distorted voice. "I won't forget your meddling. I'll haunt you for the rest of life that you won't know peace even as you die. You're a freak, Klaus! And a man like you don't deserve—"

Diego watched as Janice's face vanished, cutting her curse abruptly, but not before a hollow laugh echoed within the house.

All too quickly, the dimness was lifted like a cover, letting the light in once more. The sudden brightness made Diego wince, his eyes adjusting.

"You're an idiot," Klaus said, and with two steps was in front of Diego, furious. "I told you to shut up, and you didn't listen!"

Diego was unable to look directly at Klaus. He couldn't defend himself if he wanted to. He didn't know what pushed him to say those. Emotions, probably; his mother and Eudora used to say that he was often carried away with his feelings.

"Don't promise anyone what you can't be sure of," Klaus said, nothing but anger in his features. "Most especially to the dead."

"I'm sorry," Diego said. "I'm a sensitive prick. And I get that I shouldn't give promises, but I'm not lying when I said I'll catch who killed her," he said, finally meeting Klaus's eyes. "Because that's my job as a cop."

There was a tense silence between them. Diego could tell that Klaus was searching for any bullshit. Well, he wouldn't find any. Diego was a man of his word, and he followed it with actions.

Klaus leaned back. His anger had ebbed in a short span of seconds, studying Diego sternly instead. He was still searching for something, but when he found it he was seemingly satisfied. Diego still didn't like Klaus's smirk with a touch of smugness. "Very admirable of you, officer. Diego, is it?"

It occurred to him that he never gave Klaus his name. "Yeah. Diego."

"Very well. I look forward to working with you, Diego."

Diego warily eyed the proffered hand before shaking it. Was this Klaus's way of asking truce? Wait, and what did he mean by that? "What? You're not done?" He didn't know if he could take another of this ghost summoning in a single day. Or anymore.

"Far from over, officer." Klaus's grin was both feral and shit-eating that terribly irked Diego. "We still have a criminal to catch. Let's go while the sun is up."

"Whoah, wait, wait, wait.  _I_ have a criminal to catch. There's no  _we_."

Klaus shrugged. "Too bad, that's my payment."

"Payment? Nobody said about payment."

"Please. When you're good at something, you don't do it for free." Klaus was already at the door when he addressed Diego past his shoulders. "You asked for the Séance. I gave, then you owe. Pay up, officer."

"It's useless to argue with him when he already made up his mind," Ben said, closely behind Diego. He could have said that earlier, couldn't he? Ben grinned, and it was hard to figure whether he was being serious or not. "Don't worry, you'll have fun with Séance. That's what he likes to be called professionally, just so you know."

Professionalism, my ass.

* * *

**TBC**


End file.
